"How can I get
great financial aid?"
"How can we save enough?"
"How can I find a career that pays for itself?"

Developing a full-fledged college prep plan is the best way to make college
affordable. Period. Missing even a single step can add thousands to your
total cost.

Fortunately, answers to many of your questions can be found at RSC Your
College Prep and Financial Aid Expert's free
web events. Signing up now is one step
you can take to pay for college.

Six Steps to College Prep

College-cost estimates. Did you
know the average student owes $12,000 per year after receiving financial
aid? All your planning won't matter if you can't afford college. As hard
as it is to believe,
independent studies show that college websites do a very poor job
telling you your final cost at their own school. By getting
accurate college-cost estimates like this one, you'll know which
colleges you can afford before you even apply. We bet you're surprised
who makes the list.

Personality tests. Very few high
schools offer personality tests, and private tests are expensive - yet
they are an essential part of college prep. The results directly help
students target careers they will love with the talents and skills they
have.

4-Year class planner. Once
students have a career in mind, they should build an entire 4-year
high-school curriculum around it. No easy task, though a 4-year class
planner is a big help.

SAT/ACT test prep. These tests
aren't just for college admissions anymore. Good SAT or ACT scores can
save students thousands of dollars in additional tuition, while great
scores can earn them great financial aid. There's a big difference in
test scores between college graduates and college dropouts. Be on the
high end. Boost your score by 150 points or more using a program that's
easy to follow, interactive, and personalized.

College research. Where will good
SAT scores and grades do you the most good? There are more than 4,000
colleges in this country. With so many schools to choose from, it's
common for students to apply to colleges that won't reward their
efforts. Make sure you have the best and most up-to-date information for
every college on your list. Know where you're a good fit.

Financial Planning. Great financial aid is the biggest benefit of college prep. It can lead to merit aid that, when combined with need-based aid, puts expensive colleges within your reach. Careful planning creates an application that impresses college admissions officers and convinces them to open the purse strings. It also takes solid guidance to know if a college has made you a good offer, and if not, how you can get more. Paying for college isn't just about having a savings account or filling out the FAFSA; it's about solid financial planning.

RSC Your College Prep and Financial Aid
Expert offers two
web
events to help families prepare for college. The first focuses on the
importance of college prep in the 8th-10th grades; the second presents
additional steps to improve your financial aid picture. Each web event
features advice from their staff, including noted
Huffington Post
College columnist Maura Kastberg and nationally syndicated reporter John
Briggs, who's been quoted in US News & World Report, The Christian Science
Monitor and other national publications. If you haven't read their work,
find out what they have to say on the RSC College Prep Expertwebsite.

Homeschoolers are encouraged to attend one of their web events and
get more information on one undeniable truth: college prep and financial aid
are linked. The better you prepare for college, the better your financial
aid will be.

So, to answer the question, "Does college have to be so expensive?" No, but
if you don't prepare, it will be.

About RSC

RSC is an innovator in on-demand and online
college prep, with financial aid materials and services designed to get
families every penny for which they qualify. Their time-tested program lets
students build impressive college applications focused on getting them the
most financial aid possible, reducing or eliminating the need for student
loans. For more than two decades, families have relied on their staff's
simple and direct advice in all areas of college prep. Reward your student's
commitment to education. Call 800-898-4636 or visit
CollegePrepExpert.com and
sign up for a free and informative web event today!!